Whiteford Firefighters Receive Life-Saving Equipment To Rescue Farmers Trapped In Grain Bins

WHITEFORD, MD — Firefighters in Harford County have received specialized equipment and training to help rescue farmers and agricultural workers who become trapped inside grain bins where a person can become buried in seconds.

The Whiteford Volunteer Fire Company was awarded a grain rescue tube and hands-on training through a partnership between the Maryland Farm Bureau and Nationwide's Grain Bin Safety campaign.

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The equipment will help firefighters respond to grain entrapments, which happen when someone working inside a grain bin becomes trapped in flowing grain or falls through a crusted surface.

The accidents can turn deadly quickly. According to Nationwide, more than 500 grain entrapments have occurred nationwide over the past 15 years.

"It only takes seconds, or a simple mistake, for an adult to sink in the quicksand-like flow of grain and become fully entrapped or engulfed," said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide.

The danger is especially concerning for farmers and workers who enter grain bins to remove spoiled or clumped grain. Flowing grain can pull a person beneath the surface, while hardened grain or a crust can collapse under someone's weight.

Firefighters Practice Grain Bin Rescues

The Whiteford firefighters received training from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, which partners with Nationwide to provide rescue equipment and instruction to rural fire departments.

Training included simulated grain entrapments using a trailer-mounted simulator that can hold about 100 bushels of grain.

Firefighters practiced responding when someone becomes partially or completely buried.

According to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety's rescue training program, instruction includes understanding grain bin structures, recognizing common entrapment hazards and learning how to safely remove trapped workers.

Firefighters also learn how to shut down and secure grain-handling equipment before attempting a rescue.

The specialized rescue tube is designed to be placed around a trapped person to keep surrounding grain from flowing into the rescue area while firefighters remove grain and free the victim.

The equipment can be particularly important in rural communities, where volunteer fire departments may be the first responders called to agricultural emergencies.

Whiteford Volunteer Fire Company serves approximately 6,500 residents in Whiteford, Cardiff, Pylesville and Street, according to the department's website.

The department has approximately 70 active volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians. It also assists neighboring communities, including Jarrettsville, Norrisville, and Darlington, as well as communities across the Pennsylvania state line.

Program Has Helped Save 19 Lives

Nationwide launched its Grain Bin Safety campaign in 2014 to help prevent grain entrapments and give rural fire departments the tools they need to respond to emergencies.

Whiteford was among 67 fire departments nationwide selected to receive equipment and training in 2026.

According to an Oct. 27 announcement from Nationwide, the company has helped equip 519 fire departments across 35 states since the program began.

The program has provided nearly $2.5 million in rescue equipment and training and contributed to at least 19 successful rescues.

Four other Maryland fire departments also were included among this year's recipients: Eastern Garrett County Volunteer Fire & Rescue in Frostburg, Galena Volunteer Fire Department, Goldsboro Volunteer Fire Company and Westminster Volunteer Fire Department in Carroll County.

"Every grain rescue tube helps make a community safer and better prepared to respond when the unthinkable happens," Liggett said in Nationwide's announcement. "Our goal is always prevention, but when a grain entrapment occurs, having trained and equipped first responders can make all the difference."

Parker Welch, executive director of the Maryland Farm Bureau, said the organization is committed to helping protect farmers and agricultural workers.

"Maryland Farm Bureau is committed to the safety of our state's agricultural community," Welch said. "We are thrilled to team up with our heritage partner, Nationwide, to equip our courageous first responders with the training and resources to prevent grain bin tragedies."